Page:Czecho-Slovak Student Life, Volume 18.djvu/161

“There would be no use of your coming because I’m going to bed”, she said, throwing the clutch in. She knew that she lied, but she had details of her own to work out privately. Besides it was not the first time that George displeased her.

Bandas had two motives for decisive action. One was an urge to display dauntless persistence and efficiency as guardian of life and property of his constituents. In this case he had the advantage of dealing with an “outsider”, which was a big factor in the Warren court. The other and more predominant motive was a personal desire to discredit that “pretending poet”, Kabel, before the entire community, and consequently taboo him as a possible rival for Claire’s affections. This latter worried him more. Ever since Claire first spoke to him of Kabel, not four days ago, he began to dread the influence the stanger might exercise over their relations. Even now, despite the glaring evidences which stood against Kabel, he could not assure himself that the danger was past. He did not doubt Kabel’s guilt, but the entire affair was so strange that he feared.

He could not sleep that night at all. Thoughts of the man he had locked up and of the girl who acted so coldly towards him kept him awake. The burglary took place exactly a week ago, and Kabel appeared only five days ago. But that would not matter with a man of base intentions”, his thoughts ran. “It might be a pretty alibi, but not so effective after what I found in the old ice-house. He’s finished all right. If not tomorrow, surely before the jury. But Claire! She never knew the man.—Did she plan that rendezvous? Then why call me up? To find them there! Why didn’t I hustle and beat her to it, if he had been there as she said. But I’ve got him, and he’ll pay for it all. I’ll keep her out, of course”.

Bandas’ dread, however, was intensified the next morning in the courtroom when he noticed Claire coming in to the preliminary hearing. She held her head high and gave him a glance that made him wince. Something dreadful was going to happen. He felt it in the charged atmosphere. He noticed that Kabel, who had sat in a chair, pale and speechless, fixed his eyes on the girl with a look of petition,—a sign of guilt, thought the sheriff.

The proceedings were on. Bandas and his deputy gave their evidence. The magistrate, knitting and smacking his lips, looked queryingly upon the culprit, who apparently had nothing to say in defense; then back at the few present The man would be held for trial, and to the magistrate’s knowledge none of those present would bond a bail for his release. Then a girl—Miss Claire Gordon—got up and addressed the official. Bandas groaned audibly, but the girl went on.

“Since I have witnessed the arrest of Mr. Kabel, as Mr. Bandas will admit, I wish to contribute my observations to those already expressed. The sheriff is in possession of Mr. Kabel’s coat, and I